Fuse for projectiles



July 4, 1933- D. 1.. WOODBERVRY FUSE FOR PROJEGTILES Filed Sept. 20,1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l D. L. WOODBERRY FUSE FOR PROJECTILES July 4, 1933.

Filed Sept. 20. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 D- L-Wnu dher'r:g

Patented July 4, 1933 UNITED STATE S PATENT OFFICE DAVID L. WOODBERR Y,F BALTIMORE, D, ASSIGNOR TO SECRETARY OF WAR OF THE UNITED STATES OFAMERICA FUSE FOR PROJECTILES Application filed. September 20, 1926. 2Serial 1%. 136,660.

(GRANTED UNDER THE 'ACT OF MARCH 3, 1883, AS AMENDED APRIL 30', 1928;370 DIG. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured andused by or for the Government for governmental purposes without thepayment to me of any royalty thereon. The subject of this invention is afuse for projectiles. o

In artillery and bombing operations the nature and character of thetarget together with the object to be obtained controls the type of fuseemployed. Because of the different actions which must be provided for itis obviously of considerable advantage and convenience, both infabrication and distribution, to combine in a single fuse elementsvarying conditions.

According to the present invention the fuse is provided with a pluralityof powder trains to produce instantaneous and varying delay actions whenfunctioned by a single firing pin whose position with respect to thepowder trains may be readily adjusted.

With these and otherobjects in view which will appear as the descriptionproceeds, my invention resides in the novel arrangement and combinationof parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described andclaimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment ofthe invention 9 herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what isclaimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of I a tail fuse for bombsembodying the principles of the invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary viewin side elevation thereof;

, Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a 45 nose fuse;

F ig. 5 is a'view partly in elevation and v partly'in longitudinalsection at right angles to Fig. 4; and.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 an e. i

which may be selectively functioned to meet reference:

The fuse shown in Fig. 1 comprises a cylindrical body 6 formed centrallywith an apertured seat 7: Mounted on the seat equidistant from the axisof the body' are aplurality of powder trains 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d, includingprimers and respectively affording instantaneous action and" delayintervals of .1 second, 1.2 seconds, and 15 seconds. 1 The inner end ofthe body receives in order :1 block 9 and container 10 in which is abooster charge 11. Mounted for slidable movement in the blockperpendicular to the axis of the fuse is a cylindrical bolt 12containing a detonating charge 13 ignitable from the common relay charge86. The bolt is normally held in unarmed position by means of a rod 14positioned axially of the fuse and withdrawable during flight ofthe bombas will be described hereinafter. W hen the rod is withdrawn fromengagement with the bolt, the bolt is urged to armed positionby springs15 (Fig. 6) where it is securely held by a spring pressed pin 16 (Fig.5) mounted in the block-9 and also serving to guide the bolt in itstransverse movement. Rota-tably mounted in the outer end of the body 6is a fuse head 17 held against longitudinal displacement by beingengaged on both sides of the seat 7. the under side of the seat 7 iseffected by means of an attachable nut 17a. Housed within this fuse headis a plunger 18 carrying a fixed firing pin 19 whose point is dis posedin an aperture in the head and is held clear of the powder train whenthe plunger is' armed by the usual plunger spring 20. The plunger isconstrained to be rotated in unison with the fuse head by means of a pin21 fixed in the head anddisposed in a longitudinal groove 22 in theplunger. This pin is pro vided to prevent distortion of the firing pinduring rotation of the fuse head and plunger.

ngagement with ng to the position trains and to a position of s'afety.In order that the position of the firing pin may be known, the fuse head17 is provided with appropriate inscriptions 24 readable against a fixedindex mark 25 on the body.

The rod 14 which is provided for holding the bolt 12 in unarmed positionis threaded to the fuse head and also to the plunger 18 thereby servingto hold the plunger in unarmed or immovable position. The outer end ofthe rod carries a vane assembly 26 'functioning in the usual mannerduring flight of the bomb to unthread the rod thus arming both the bolt12 and the plunger 18.

As a means of firmly securing and closing the rear cap 27 of the bomb,there is provided an elongated tubular member 28 fixed to the fuse headand formed with a collar 29 engag ing the cap when the fuse is. inplace. I

In the application of the invention to the nose fuse shown in Figs. 4,5, and-6 the same arrangement of members is substantially retained. Inplace of the plunger 18 in the delay fuse, there is provided an axiallymovable impact plate 30 and a spring 31 for maintaining the plateagainst air pressure when armed in spaced relation to the head 17 a. Theplate is held against rotation with respect to the fuse body 32 by meansof a pin 33 somewhat similar to and positioned opposite with respect tothe firing pin 34. The release rod constituting the spindle of the vaneassembly consists of an upper portion 35 threaded to the plate and alower portion 36 thraded to thehead. The spindle separates when theupper portion is clear of the plate, the lower portion in the meantimereleasing the bolt and serving before separation to positively hold theimpact plate and resist its tendency to move inwardly during unthreadingof the vane assembly. The tendency of v the impact plate to moveoutwardly during this action is resisted by the pin 33which is providedwith a flangedghead 33a engageable' with the fuse head.

I claim:

1. A fuse including a body, a plurality of powder trains arranged in thebody and adapted to aflord varying burning intervals, a plunger disposedover. the powder trains, a plunger spring, a firing pin carried by theplunger, means for selectively setting the firing pin to strike one ofthe powder trains on impact, means whereby the firing pin may be held inset position and means removable during flight for arming the plunger.

- 2. A fuse including a body, a plurality of powder trains arranged inthe body and adapted to afford varying burning intervals, a plungerdisposed over the powder trains,- a plunger spring, a firin pin carriedby'the plunger, means for selectively setting the firin the body, aplunger including a firing pin disposed on one side of the powder train,a plunger spring, a transversely slidable bolt including an explosiveelement disposed on the other side of the train and means for nor-Jnally holding the plunger and bolt in anarmed position, said meansremovable during flight to arm both plunger and the bolt.

' 4. A fuse for bombs including a head, an impact plate mounted forlongitudinal movement with respect to the head, a spring for maintainingthe plate against air pressure in spaced relation to the head when thefuse is armed and means axially removable during flight for holding theimpact plate against inward movement counter to the action of saidspring. I a

5. A fuse for bombs including a head, an impact plate axially movablewith respect to the head when armed, means for holding-the plate againstrotation, a vane assembly having a separable spindle, one portionthreaded in the plate and the otherportion in the head, the portion inthe plate unthreadable therefrom during flight and removable from thefuse to arm the plate.

6. A fuse forbombs including a head, an impact plate axially movablewith respect to the head when armed, means for holding the plate aai-nst rotation, a vane assembly unthreada le from the plate duringflight to arm the plate and means associated with the vane assembly forresisting inward movement of the plate during unthreading of the vaneassembly.

7. A fuse for bombs including a head, an impact plate axially movablewith respect to the head'when armed, means for holdingthe plate againstrotatio a vaneassembly unthreadable from the plate during flight to armthe plate and means for resisting inward movement of the plate duringunthreading of the vane assembly.

8. A fuse for bombs including a head, an impact plate axially movablewith respect to the head when armed, means for holding the plate againstrotation, a vane assembly unthreadable from the plate during flight toarm the plate and means for supporting the plate against axial movementduring unthreading of the vane assembly.

9. Afuse for bombs including a head, an impact plate axially movablewith respect to the head when armed, means for holding the plate againstrotation, and means threaded to the head and plate, said meansunthreadable from the plate during flight and adapted to support saidplate while unthreading.

DAVID L. WOODBERRY.

